Plant care
Daylily 'Frans Hals' (Frans Hals Daylily) care
Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals'
Also called Frans Hals Daylily, Bicolor Daylily.
Watering rhythm
7-10days
When the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season
Light
Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)
Soil
Fertile, well-draining loam
Humidity
40-70%
Temp
-25-38°C
Pet safety
Toxic to pets
Mature size
65-75 cm tall
Care at a glance
Light
Daylily 'Frans Hals' needs sun on the leaves, not just bright ambient room light. Full sun (6+ hours per day) produces the richest bicolour contrast and strongest stems. Partial shade is tolerated and can preserve colour in very hot climates, but overall plant vigour and flower count decline. A south or west-facing windowsill in the northern hemisphere is the default; anywhere else, expect the plant to stretch and pale out within a season.
Watering
Water daylily 'frans hals' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Moderate water needs once established. Water at the base to avoid wetting foliage. In hot, dry spells, increase frequency to every 5 days. Reduce watering after bloom season and in winter.
Soil and pot
Daylily 'Frans Hals' grows best in fertile, well-draining loam. Grows in most garden soils with pH 6.0-7.5. Incorporate compost before planting. Avoid waterlogged heavy clay; improve drainage with horticultural grit. Mulch conserves moisture and insulates roots. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.
Humidity and temperature
Daylily 'Frans Hals' sits happiest at around 40-70% humidity and -25-38°C (-13-100°F). Broadly tolerant. Adequate spacing of 50-60 cm between plants ensures good airflow, reducing foliar disease risk in humid climates. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.
Fertilising
Feed daylily 'frans hals' sparingly. Feed with a balanced 10-10-10 fertiliser in early spring as new growth appears. A second application in mid-season supports strong scape development. Potassium-rich feeds in late summer harden the plant for winter. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.
Common problems
Below are the issues we see most often on daylily 'frans hals' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.
- Tall scapes flopping — In shaded or overly fertile conditions, scapes elongate and fall over. Stake or move to full sun; reduce nitrogen fertiliser.
- Rust disease — Orange pustules on foliage indicate Puccinia hemerocallidis. Remove affected leaves, spray with a registered fungicide, and improve plant spacing.
- Spider mites in dry spells — Stippled, bronze foliage and fine webbing indicate mites. Increase watering frequency and apply a miticide or neem oil spray.
- Thrips on flowers — Cause silvery streaking on petals. Treat with spinosad during bud break.
- Decline after 5+ years — Old clumps lose vigour. Lift and divide in late summer, replanting the healthiest outer sections in enriched soil.
Companion plants
Daylily 'Frans Hals' pairs well with Phlox paniculata, Monarda didyma, Kniphofia uvaria, and Stachys byzantina. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.
Propagation
Divide large clumps in late summer or early autumn. Lift clumps and use two forks back-to-back to split them. Replant sections of 3-5 fans at the same depth, 50-60 cm apart. Water well to establish. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.
Toxicity to pets
Daylily 'Frans Hals' is toxic to pets. Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals' is part of the Hemerocallis genus, which the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats. All plant parts — flowers, foliage, pollen, and even vase water — can cause acute kidney failure in cats. Toxic to dogs at higher doses. Keep strictly away from cats. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).
Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.
Daylily 'Frans Hals' care — frequently asked questions
What is the common name for Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals'?
Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals' is most commonly called Daylily 'Frans Hals', but it is also known as Frans Hals Daylily, Bicolor Daylily. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Daylily 'Frans Hals' apply identically to anything sold as Frans Hals Daylily.
How much light does daylily 'frans hals' need?
Daylily 'Frans Hals' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun (6+ hours per day) produces the richest bicolour contrast and strongest stems. Partial shade is tolerated and can preserve colour in very hot climates, but overall plant vigour and flower count decline.
How often should I water daylily 'frans hals'?
Water daylily 'frans hals' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during the growing season. Moderate water needs once established. Water at the base to avoid wetting foliage. In hot, dry spells, increase frequency to every 5 days. Reduce watering after bloom season and in winter. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.
Is daylily 'frans hals' toxic to cats and dogs?
Daylily 'Frans Hals' is toxic to pets. Hemerocallis 'Frans Hals' is part of the Hemerocallis genus, which the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats. All plant parts — flowers, foliage, pollen, and even vase water — can cause acute kidney failure in cats. Toxic to dogs at higher doses. Keep strictly away from cats.
What USDA hardiness zone does daylily 'frans hals' grow in?
Daylily 'Frans Hals' is rated for USDA zone 3-9 and RHS hardiness H7. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.
Daylily 'Frans Hals' deep-dive guides
Every aspect of daylily 'frans hals' care, each with its own calibrated guide:
- Common daylily 'frans hals' problems & fixes
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' watering schedule
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' light requirements
- Best soil mix for daylily 'frans hals'
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' fertilizing guide
- When to repot daylily 'frans hals'
- How to propagate daylily 'frans hals'
- How to prune daylily 'frans hals'
- What's eating my daylily 'frans hals'?
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' growth rate & size
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' cold hardiness
- Daylily 'Frans Hals' temperature & humidity
- Is daylily 'frans hals' toxic to cats & dogs?
- Is daylily 'frans hals' toxic to cats?
- Is daylily 'frans hals' toxic to dogs?
- All 46 Hemerocallis varieties
- Getting daylily 'frans hals' to bloom
Featured in these plant shortlists
Daylily 'Frans Hals' qualifies for 5 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:
- Best flowering houseplants — Indoor plants grown for their blooms — selected from the flowering species in Growli’s plant-care library.
- Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
- Best houseplants for full sun — Houseplants that want direct sun — the species for a hot south or west-facing windowsill where shade-lovers scorch.
- Best houseplants for a cool room — Houseplants that tolerate cool conditions down to about 10°C — for an unheated spare room, hallway, porch or a home kept cool.
- Best fast-growing houseplants — Houseplants documented as fast or vigorous growers — quick to fill a pot, cover a pole or trail down a shelf.
- Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more
Related guides
Daylily 'Frans Hals' is also commonly called Frans Hals Daylily or Bicolor Daylily.